The North American Blueberry Council’s (NABC) amplified government affairs efforts are having an impact – ensuring that growers’ voices are heard in Washington, D.C., and at the state level. 

It’s all part of a heightened approach to advocacy that began in 2023 with the hiring of Alyssa Houtby as the council’s director of government affairs. Houtby, in conjunction with D.C. lobbying firm Monument Advocacy, has significantly increased the council’s advocacy profile on a number of fronts. 

In 2024, the NABC Board of Directors approved its first U.S. Policy Platform that outlines the positions and beliefs of U.S. blueberry growers, handlers and marketers, and guides the policy actions of the NABC. The overarching objective of the policy positions outlined in the platform – and NABC’s U.S. governmental affairs strategy – is to protect and enhance the competitiveness of the U.S. blueberry industry. 

The NABC was one of 10 co-plaintiffs that filed a lawsuit last fall in the U.S. District Court of the Southern District of Mississippi, Southern Division, challenging the Department of Labor’s (DOL) Farmworker Protection Rule. The lawsuit argued that the rule was a gross regulatory overreach by DOL, and limited the freedom of speech of agricultural employers. In November, the court agreed and granted a nationwide stay on parts of the rule until the conclusion of proceedings in the case. Due to multiple legal challenges, in December 2024, the DOL indefinitely suspended implementation of the Rule.

And, for the first time in the organization’s history, the NABC sent a delegation to the presidential inauguration and festivities in January. NABC also sponsored the Bipartisan Inaugural Ball Celebrating American Agriculture. NABC’s presence at the “ag ball” helped cement the council as an influential voice on behalf of the blueberry industry in Washington, D.C. 

Representing NABC during the inauguration festivities were Chair Teddy Koukoulis, Vice Chair and Government Affairs Committee Chair Ellie Norris, Secretary Chelsea Consalo and Government Affairs Director Alyssa Houtby. The sold-out, black-tie ball raised money for D.C. Central Kitchen and the National 4-H Council, and attracted hundreds of food and ag industry leaders and officials. 

In March, Houtby led The Blueberry Hill Climb where blueberry industry stakeholders connected with leaders in the Trump administration and members of Congress about policies that support the competitiveness of U.S. blueberry producers, such as the Farm Bill, H-2A reform and improved access to key foreign markets.  

At the event and blueberry industry meetings held simultaneously, attendees met with representatives from the USDA andstaff from the offices of House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune. And they heard from Jennifer Tiller, chief of staff to the deputy secretary and senior advisor to the Secretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services at USDA, who shared her insights on the Trump administration’s efforts to enhance the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) and USDA initiatives to increase the consumption of fruits and vegetables, including blueberries.

In addition to the efforts mentioned above, NABC’s recent advocacy work included:  

• Securing a USDA purchase of 6.3 million pounds of frozen blueberries and 2.7 million pounds of dried blueberries. 

• Helping organize farm tours for members of Congress and USDA Leadership.

• Meeting with USDA Secretary Vilsack and DOL Acting Secretary Julie Su to advocate for changes in how the Adverse Effect Wage Rate is calculated.

• Testifying at the first meeting of the new Bipartisan Congressional Ag Trade Caucus about global trade dynamics affecting the U.S. blueberry industry. 

• Participating in a roundtable meeting with the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Chief Ag Negotiator about the industry’s export market priorities.

• Advocating for improvements to blueberry crop insurance. 

• Organizing a D.C. fly-in for NABC members to advocate for the elimination of Japan’s tariff. Attendees met with representatives from the Japanese Embassy, Department of Commerce, USDA and USTR.  

• Advocating for and securing improvements to crop insurance products for blueberry growers.

• Advocating for economic assistance funding that resulted in USDA’s Market Assistance for Specialty Crops Program, and working with USDA to ensure payments will include post-harvest costs such as packing and cold storage fees.

• Advocating for a new Farm Bill that supports specialty crop producers.

• Advocating for important improvements to the Tree Assistance Program. In October, USDA-FSA announced that it was extending assistance to trees, bushes and vines that have not died but are no longer capable of production (not economically viable).

• Advocating for agriculture disaster relief funding to support growers impacted by disasters in 2023 and 2024, which resulted in Congress including $20 billion in for ag disaster relief in the year-end spending package.